Bombay Rose director: Gitanjali Rao
Bombay Rose Cast: Cyli Khare, Amit Deondi, Anurag Kashyap, Makrand Deshpande
Bombay Rose’s rating: 5
Gitanjali Rao’s Bombay Rose has existed since its debut at the International Critics’ Week at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, but it is only recently that the animated film has been available beyond the festival’s circles.
An extraordinary visual feast, Bombay Rose it was meticulously assembled using frames, each of which is individually painted. This technique – a hybrid of traditional animation and computer-aided animation – lends a unique and detailed visual language to the film. The undeniably rich and distinctive art style is reminiscent of classic art forms. There is an irresistible quality of hand drawing here, which it really is.
The story evokes the ethos of old Bollywood, when it was called Bombay Cinema. And while it’s not as impressive as its looks, it serves its purpose. Kamala lives with her grandfather and her younger sister, Tara. She makes garlands of flowers for a living, but unbeknownst to her family, she also works as a bar dancer.
As a child, she was forced to marry, and her grandfather brought her and her sister to Mumbai. Salim, a young Kashmirian who has fled the violent atmosphere of his home, is struggling to find a job. He falls in love with Kamala and she with him. He is a Muslim and she is a Hindu.
But not everything is rosy in the film, sorry for the pun. Like any self-respecting Hindi film, there is also a threatening villain named Mike here. He knows Kamala’s true profession and promises her a life in Dubai. He also warns Salim about Kamala.
The melodrama follows.
There are other characters as well. A woman who used to be a movie star, and even now remains obsessed with her glory days. There is a watchmaker who can fix any old toy you throw at it. A hearing-impaired orphan, with nowhere to go, is brought home by Tara. There are also several cats for cat lovers. The lives of these characters interact in beautiful and organic ways. The characters in Bombay Rose they are written with depth that complement their visuals and lend an air of authenticity to your world.
This authenticity also comes from Gitanjali’s skillful guidance. Case in point: bottom score in Bombay Rose it is simply what is being played on the streets at that very moment during the scene. For example, the music of a wedding procession (barat) accompanies the moment when Kamala and Salim profess, without words, their love for each other.
Hindi oldies appear at appropriate times.
A sensation of reverie permeates Bombay Rose, going beyond the visual and the sound. There is a clear homage to the city and how migrants arrive from all corners of the country to build a new life. But Bombay Rose is also not opposed to calling attention to what is not so good in Cidade Máxima. He perfectly captures these contradictions.
It is almost impossible to exaggerate how beautiful this film is. His enthusiastic reviews prepared this scribe for something special, but it turned out to be even better. Not since Peter Jackson They will not age nothing was so visually impressive.
Bombay Rose is streaming on Netflix.